Cover for firearm sights



Sept. 24, 1935. F. F. BURTON 2,015,098

COVER FOR FIREARM SIGHTS Filed Oct. 16, 1933 -2 i v simu tastbaar-imp aimante.

Patented Sept. Y24, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COVER FOR FIREARM SIGHTS Application October 16, 1933, Serial No. 693,751

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improvement in shields or protectors for firearm sights, commonly referred to as sight-covers and primarily designed for use in connection with the front sights of firearms, though not so limited.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide at a low cost for manufacture a simple, reliable and effective detachable sight-cover for firearms.

Another object is to provide an improved sightcover which may be attached to and detached from a rearm with relative ease and facility.

A further object is to provide a cover or shield of the class referred to which, despite its ease of installation and removal, will be sufciently secure against accidental displacement when once in place over the firearm sight.

Other objects and advantages will appear to those skilled in the art from the following, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing and the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig. 1 is a broken view of the front portion of a firearm-barrel, showing a sight-cover embodying the present invention mounted thereon;

Fig. 2 is a view thereof in front-end elevation;

Fig. 3 is a top or plan view of the barrel, together with its sight-supporting lug;

Fig. 4 is a view thereof in side elevation;

Fig. 5 is a perspective View of the cover or hood, detached;

Fig. 6 is a view in front-end elevation of a firearm-barrel and associated parts illustrating another form which the present invention may assume;

Fig. 7 is a top or plan View of the firearmbarrel shown in Fig. 6, together with its sightsupporting lug; and

Fig. 8 is a view thereof in side elevation.

The embodiment of the present invention herein chosen for illustration in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive includes, as shown, a barrel IIJ carrying on its upper surface, adjacent its forward end, a longitudinally-arranged upstanding sight-supporting lug II, preferably formed integral with the said barrel, though the said lug may be separately formed and attached to the barrel, as is commonly done in the art.

The sight-supporting lug I I, above referred to, is formed in its upper surface, adjacent its forward end, with a transversely-arranged dovetailed groove I2 receiving the similarly-shaped projection I3 depending from the under face of a sight-body I4 carrying a sight-blade I5 which may be of any approved form, and vary widely in accordance with the preferences of the users of the firearm.

On each of its respective opposite sides, the sight-supporting lug II is formed with a longitudinally-extending lightening-channel I6 of sernicircular form in cross-section, as shown, and having extending centrally from its bottom a longitudinally-extending coupling-groove II, each of which in turn has leading inwardly from its inner wall a retaining-recess or depression I8 of arcuate form from front to rear, as clearly shown in Fig. 3.

Detachably mounted upon the sight-supporting lug I I is a sight-cover or shield I9 of substantially U-shaped form, preferably formed of sheetmetal spring-stock, and positioned on the lug I I so as to have the upper terminus of the sight I5 located so as to coincide with the longitudinal axis of the substantially-cylindrical portion I9a of the cover.

The substantially-cylindrical portion IIBSL of the Cover or shield I9 is provided with a pair of complementary depending side-arms 20--20 spaced laterally from each other, as shown, and each terminating in an inturned longitudinallyarranged coupling-flange 2l tting into the respective coupling-grooves I 1 in the opposite sides of the sight-supporting lug I I, before referred to. About midway of its length, each of the couplingiianges 2I-2I is provided with an inwardly-offsetting retaining-projection 22 of arcuate form from fiont to rear and adapted to enter one of the retaining-recesses or depressions I8 leading from the inner wall of each of the couplinggrooves I'I as before described.

The respective opposite ends of each of the coupling-flanges 2I of the cover are rounded as at 23 to facilitate the entry of the said couplinganges into the coupling-grooves I'I in the lug I I. The rounded portions 23, just referred to, preferably correspond in curvature to the curved rear terminus 24 of the respective coupling-groove I'I, which curvature results from the employment of a circular milling cutter in forming the said 45 conjunction with the forward ends of the inner walls of the said grooves II-I1 to spread the respective side-arms 20 of the cover sufciently to permit the flanges 2 I-2I to ride into the said grooves. Slightly less than midway of its rearward travel, the respective retaining-projections 22-22 of the cover I9 will engage with the respective forward ends of the inner walls of the coupling-grooves I'I and when the hood is pushed further rearward, the said side-arms 20--20 will be further spread apart to a degree suicient to permit the full entry of the said retaining-projections 22-22 into the coupling-grooves I'I-I1. Ultimately in the rearward travel of the cover, the retaining-projections 22-22 will come into registration with the retaining-recesses or depressions I 8-I 8, whereupon the side-arms 20-20 will under their inherent spring tension move toward each other to force the said projections into the said recesses to thus releasably retain the hood I9 in place upon the lug I I.

When the cover I9 is in place, as just described, the inner edge of each of the coupling-anges 2| bears against the inner wall of its complementary coupling-groove I'I, so that the sight-cover is prevented from rocking movement transversely of the barrel. The respective coupling-flanges 2I-2I are so proportioned in thickness with respect to the width of their complementary coupling-grooves I'I that no appreciable rocking movement of the hood in a vertical plane can take place.

Preferably, and as shown in the accompanying drawing, each of the respective opposite ends of the cover I 9 is correspondingly shaped and the retaining-projections 22-22 are preferably located midwaythe length of the coupling-flanges 2I-2I, so that the hood may be applied to the lug I I, either end foremost.

The construction shown in Figs. 6 to 8 inclusive corresponds in all essential details to that shown in Figs. l to inclusive, save that the lightening-channels are omitted and the coupling-grooves I'l-I'I extend inwardly directly from the respective opposite side-faces of the sight-supporting lug I I.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that without the employment of complex latches or retaining devices, the present invention provides a simple, reliable and effective sight-cover which may be manufactured at low cost and which, despite its security against accidental displacement when in place, is susceptible of ready removal and replacement when desired.

The invention may be carried out in other specific ways than those herein set forth without departing from the spirit and essential characteristics of the invention, and the present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and all 5 changes coming within the meaning and equiva- -lency range of the appended claims are intended to be embraced therein.

I claim:

1. The combination With a sight-supporting 10 re-arm-member having a pair of complementary spaced-apart coupling-grooves, one at least of which has a retaining-recess intersecting it; of a resilient sight-cover of substantially U-shaped form in cross-section, the respective opposed terminal edges of which are adapted to enter the said coupling-grooves to stabilize the sight-cover on said firearm-member; and a retaining-projection rigid with and extending from at least one of the said terminal edges of the said sight-cover for entry into and yielding retention in said retaining-recess by the resiliency of the sightcover itself to yieldingly hold the sight-cover in place.

2. A sight-cover or shield formed of resilient material and of substantially U-shaped form in cross-section, and having complementary opposed longitudinal offsetting flanges, one at least of which flanges is formed with an integral offsetting retaining-projection of cam-shaped form adapted to enter a suitable recess in a firearm adjacent the sight thereof and serving to laterally exA the sight-cover during the application and removal thereof.

3. The combination with a sight-supporting firearm-member having a pair of cffliitary-W spaced-apart coupling-grooves; (,:fakvlaterallyexiblewsiglgt-cover of substantially Ushaped "form in crossM-'s'tii-V and having opposed terminal-edgesy for entry into the coupling-grooves 40 of the said firearm-member to stabilize the sightcover on the latter; and a retaining-projection :and a retaining-recess interengageable to yieldingly retain the said sight-cover in place and one of which is formed at a terminal-edge of the said sight-cover, and the other of which forms a feature of one of the said coupling-grooves, and one of which is shaped for camming engagement with 'the other to effect the lateral flexing of the sightcover and the withdrawal of the projection from the recess when the sight-cover is forcibly moved longitudinally with respect to the said coupling grooves.

FRANK F. BURTON. 

